


Tea with the Queen

by BubbleGumLizard



Series: Mystrade NaNoWriMo 2015 [17]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, M/M, Mycroft IS the British Government, Prompt Fill, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 03:55:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5275574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubbleGumLizard/pseuds/BubbleGumLizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mycroft Holmes is quite friendly with his employer.  The only problem is that she doesn't know that he's gay and currently in a committed relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea with the Queen

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for matomato for the prompt: "because Mycroft is THE british government so i think he must know the queen quite well, some afternoon tea here and there, but of course Mycroft will try to avoid having tea with her because the Queen like to ask about his private life and worried that Mycroft still hasn't settle down with a nice partner. So she tried to set a blind date. so when Greg was finally moving in with Mycroft after six month dating she decided to call the Inspector over while Mycroft was out of the country and do some chat with the nice man"
> 
> I would like to apologize in advance for knowing very little about the queen, I'm from the United States and Google told me pretty much everything I know about her while writing this. My daughter's middle name is Elizabeth, though, so that should count for something, right? :-)
> 
> Enjoy!

Mycroft Holmes tapped out a message on his phone.

  
**Tea with a friend. Call you after. MH**

He set the phone down again as the door opened. He rose as the Queen herself entered in all of her stately glory, greeting him with a small smile. “Good afternoon, Mycroft.” She extended her hand and he took it reverently.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Mycroft responded, waiting for her to take her seat before taking his across the small table from her.

They shared their tea as usual, chatting about Mycroft’s work. They had tea at least once a month so that Mycroft could keep her abreast of what was happening in the country. Mycroft considered it her country much more than his: he was simply the man who ran the government. After they had exhausted all the usual topics of conversation, she set her teacup down one final time and surveyed Mycroft silently.

“Is there something on your mind, ma’am?” he asked, concerned by her silence.

“There is, Mycroft. I have noticed these past few months that you are looking thinner.” Mycroft was sure that it wasn’t a compliment: she regularly told him that he needed to make sure to keep his strength up. He was trying to lose weight, but he didn’t let her know that, preferring to keep it between himself and his scale.

“I have lost a bit of weight,” he conceded.

“It makes me wonder, my dear boy. When are you going to find a nice young woman to take care of you?”

Ah. This again. Every few months, she tried to tell him that he needed a woman. He didn’t know how to break it to her that he had no interest in finding a woman, or how to tell her that he had been seeing a man for the past six months and it was getting rather serious. He didn’t think she would react unfavorably at the news, but it had seemed so personal at the time to tell the woman he considered his employer that he was dating someone, and oh by the way, he had never mentioned that he was gay in the twenty years that they had known each other. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings that he hadn’t said anything before.

“I don’t need a young woman to take care of me, I’m quite capable of taking care of myself,” he said gently.

“Well, I have taken the liberty of setting up a blind date for you, Mycroft.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose upon your kindness, ma’am, that is certainly unnecessary.” 

“Nonsense, Mycroft. She is a perfectly acceptable young woman, whom I think you will love.”

***

Mycroft thought about how to break the news to Greg that he had to go on a date with some woman the Queen thought he might like. He sat in his car, dreading the conversation to come, waiting for Greg to finish at his office and come out to meet him.

It was far too short of a wait before Greg appeared, climbing into the car and greeting Mycroft with a kiss. “How was tea?” he asked, knowing full well who Mycroft had met.

Mycroft sighed. “She thinks I need a young woman to take care of me.”

“Ah, still not out at work, then?” Greg asked with a teasing grin.

“You know the situation. I don’t have the heart to break it to her that I never told her my sexuality because I was embarrassed when I was younger.” He took a deep breath. “She set me up on a blind date.”

“What?” Greg’s eyes grew wide as he stared at Mycroft, trying to process that information.

“She said that she found a lovely woman and she wants me to go on a date with her. I’m sorry, it’s horrid to ask this, but do you mind very much if I go on one date?”

Greg stared for a moment and then burst into laughter. “Of course I don’t mind! The Queen herself set you up on a date, you need to go on the date!”

“You are taking this much better than I anticipated.” Mycroft was a little annoyed at Greg’s laughter. He had been hoping that Greg would be put out at the thought of Mycroft going on a date with someone else.

“Do you want me to be upset? It’s the Queen who set you up. If she wanted you to marry some woman, I might consider it, going on a date is nothing.”

Mycroft sighed and looked at his phone. In it, he had programmed the number of the woman the Queen wanted him to take out. It would probably be bad form for him to have his assistant set up the date. He hit the “call” button and held the phone to his ear while Greg grinned next to him. 

“Hello?” a pleasant woman’s voice said.

“Yes, Mycroft Holmes for…” he trailed off, realizing that he didn’t know the name of the woman he was calling. This is why he had an assistant. “Her Majesty told me to ring.”

The woman sighed. “Yes, sir. My employer is currently on another call. Shall I have her call you back or would you like me to schedule this with your assistant?” This woman was an American. Interesting.

Mycroft smiled. “Please schedule with my assistant.” He provided the woman with Anthea’s information and hung up gratefully.

“That was very awkward. So, rather like a real date,” Greg teased. “What are you going to tell this woman?”

“I suppose I shall tell her the truth. Hopefully she’ll be as understanding as you are.”

“Maybe you’ll fall madly in love with her.”

“Unfortunately, I’ve already fallen madly in love with someone.”

Greg smiled. “Oh?”

“Yes. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll introduce you to him someday.”

***

Mycroft dressed in one of his nicest suits for the date. He still hadn’t discovered who this woman was. Anthea had learned her name, of course, but had been unable to learn any more details about her. He supposed that had some job similar to his, which would make it wise for her to not be listed anywhere. Mycroft himself was incredibly hard to research. He didn’t officially exist anymore.

He went to the restaurant their assistants had decided upon and waited miserably, doing some work on his phone. Exactly on time, a very attractive woman in her thirties made her way to the table with a smile.

“Mycroft?” she asked. Mycroft nodded, rising from his seat and extending his hand to her. “Ramona Ingram.”

“An American?” he asked with a small smile. He had not expected that. He pulled her chair out for her and then sat in his own.

“Yes. I’m Ronald Mosey’s daughter.”

Ah. It made sense now. Ronald Mosey was the American counterpart to Mycroft. Detestable man. “Ah, that explains it.”

“He informs me that you are the English version of him. So I understand now why we’re here.”

“Do you?”

“There’s been some talk about me because I’m not married yet. My father was getting nervous. I’ve been in the country for a year now and I have met the Queen several times. This is probably some sort of favor.”

Mycroft considered it. “It may perhaps be a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“What would she get out of it?”

“She thinks I will be happy if I have a partner.” 

Ramona smiled. “Well, I hate to burst her bubble, but I only accepted this date to not make trouble.”

“I only made it to not insult her.” He returned the smile.

“I’m gay,” she told him. “I’m with someone.”

His smile widened. “Me too. Why haven’t you told your father?”

“He wouldn’t understand. Why haven’t you told her?”

“I have no idea, honestly. There isn’t any reason not to tell her. We’ve known each other so long that it might be embarrassing to bring up now. And then she asked me to take you out and I…” he trailed off, feeling foolish.

“It can be hard to come out,” the woman sympathised. “Well, at least we can have a nice night out.”

Mycroft agreed and they ate their dinner and shared pleasant conversation, talking at great length about their common experiences in the government. When they left the restaurant, they shared a friendly handshake and a promise to keep in touch as friends.

Ramona went home to her girlfriend and Mycroft went to Greg’s flat.

“How was your date?” Greg asked as he let Mycroft in. “Are you leaving me for some gorgeous woman?”

“I was planning on it, but her girlfriend might not like that very much,” Mycroft told him, pulling Greg into a tight hug.

“Ah, so she was in a similar situation.”

“Mmm,’ Mycroft said, keeping his face buried in Greg’s neck. He felt terrible about the fact that he had gone on a date so he could continue lying to someone he respected so much. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Greg asked, rubbing his back.

“I want to move in with you,” Mycroft said suddenly. “I don’t want to be apart from you anymore. I want everyone to know that I’m with you, that I love you.”

Greg pulled back, searching Mycroft’s face, no doubt to ensure the sincerity of what Mycroft was saying. “Okay. I want the same thing.”

“Really?” Mycroft was surprised. He had never been in such a serious relationship and had thought that no one would ever want to be with him long term.

“Yes, really. I want to be with you forever. I would love to live with you. We spend every night together already.”

Mycroft grinned and kissed Greg before pulling away and taking out his phone to type rapidly on it.

“What are you doing?”

“Letting Anthea know so she can plan the move.” Mycroft didn’t look up from his phone as he typed, making Greg laugh.

“Impatient, are we?”

“I have a meeting in Finland. I’m leaving tomorrow for the next two weeks, remember? If I plan this correctly, I won’t have to deal with the move at all.”

“But I’ll have to without your help,” Greg pointed out.

Mycroft smiled at him. “That’s exactly my goal.”

Without warning,Greg snatched the phone from Mycroft’s hand and ran away. Mycroft chased him and the rest of the night was spent with laughter and tender kisses.

***

Greg was very confused. He had been summoned to the last place he thought he would ever be, Buckingham Palace. Men in suits had brought him in and he was asked to wait in a very nicely decorated room. He wanted to sit, but all of the chairs looked far too expensive for him to risk ruining. The door opened and someone entered and Greg thought he might faint.

“Good afternoon, Detective Inspector Lestrade,” the Queen said, extending her hand.

Greg took her hand and held it gently, almost afraid to touch it, bowing over it. “Good afternoon, Your Majesty!”

She smiled, gesturing to a table. “Please, sit. May I call you Gregory?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Greg said, waiting for her to sit and then taking a seat.

“I am sorry to trouble you with this visit.”

“No apology is necessary, ma’am. Meeting you is such an honor.”

“I have something very important to discuss with you.”

“Yes, ma’am?” he asked, wondering what it could be.

“Yes, Mycroft Holmes.” She fixed him with a piercing look, studying his face

Greg stared. How did she find out about him and Mycroft? Did Mycroft tell her? Was he in trouble? Could he be arrested for lying to the Queen? “Yes, ma’am?” he asked.

“You have been dating him.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“For several months.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And you know about his position? You know that he and I are close?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Why did he keep you from me?” She sounded almost hurt and Greg felt badly.

“I think he was embarrassed, ma’am.”

“Embarrassed of you? I do not understand. You are a lovely match for him.”

“Not of me. I think he was embarrassed that he didn’t tell you sooner that he isn’t interested in women. When he was young, he kept it quiet for professional reasons and then it had gone on too long for him to bring it up now.”

“Well, I suppose that is reasonable, but it is still upsetting that he felt a need to lie.”

“I apologize for him, ma’am.”

She smiled. “It was hardly your idea, Gregory.”

Greg nodded. “He’s a good man, ma’am, and he respects you deeply. I think he was afraid that you would be offended and he didn’t want that.”

“Well, perhaps we should ask him ourselves.”

“Ask him ourselves?” Greg asked. Mycroft was supposed to be in Finland for another week.

“Yes, I sent for him to return from his trip. He should be here any moment now.”

It was only a few minutes before Mycroft appeared, entering through the same door Greg had. When he saw that Greg was there, he froze. The Queen rose and Greg stood up abruptly. 

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Mycroft said, giving Greg a warning look.

“Good afternoon, Mycroft. Gregory and I were just discussing you. Please, join us,” the Queen said, gesturing at an empty chair.

Mycroft sat down. “And to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?”

“Well, it has come to my attention that you have been dating this man for several months. Is that true?’

“Yes, ma’am, it is true.”

“Why did you lie to me, Mycroft?” 

“I apologize for not being truthful. I had never mentioned my sexuality and I thought it would be awkward to bring it up now.”

“Well, I am rather disappointed in you for this.”

Mycroft looked down at his hands, clearly crushed at her words. “I would never want to disappoint you, ma’am.”

“This whole situation has upset me a great deal. To know that you were hiding a man such as Gregory from me.”

Mycroft looked terrified, like he thought he was in trouble. Greg had the impression that she liked him, or at least approved of the match. Mycroft didn’t know that, however, and he looked like he was worried that he was going to have to choose between her approval and Greg. Greg wondered what Mycroft would choose in that situation, hoping that it never came to pass.

“I apologize ma’am. If there is a problem with the situation, I--”

“Mycroft! Of course there is a problem with the situation.”

Now Greg was worried that she wanted them to break up. To say that there was a problem was a bit strong and he hoped that she wasn’t about to say that they couldn’t be together. Greg was sure in that situation that Mycroft would break it off with him. They hadn’t even been together a year, Mycroft’s career was far more important than their relationship.

“I apologize again, ma’am. Unfortunately, I love Greg and I will not be ending my relationship with him.”

“Wonderful!”

“Excuse me?” Mycroft looked very confused.

“I said that’s wonderful! I am delighted that you plan to be with him for some time. I think he is a good man for you.”

“I beg your pardon, ma’am, but didn’t you say there was a problem with the situation?”

“Yes, a problem with you lying to me about it. Poor Gregory has been a loyal and wonderful boyfriend to you and you repaid him by keeping him a secret. I think you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Mycroft looked down at the floor, his cheeks reddening. “I am ashamed, ma’am. It was foolish and inconsiderate of me to keep him secret.”

“Well, apologize to him then!”

Greg had sat there silently throughout the whole exchange, looking between the two of them. At this last from her, he decided it was time to speak. “Oh, no apology is necessary. I understand…”

“No, Gregory. Mycroft needs to acknowledge what he put you through and make amends for it.”

Mycroft nodded. Greg was amused, as Mycroft rarely apologized for anything, let alone something like this. “I apologize, Gregory. I should not have kept you secret for so long. And again, I apologize to you, ma’am. It will not happen again.”

“No, it will not. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other pressing business.”

They both stood as she took her leave after pressing Greg’s hand warmly and murmuring pleasant goodbyes.

When she left, the two of them stared at each other awkwardly. “Were you going to stand up to her when you thought she wanted you to dump me?” Greg asked with interest.

Mycroft avoided his eyes. “Of course I wasn’t,” he said. He caught Greg’s eye and grinned. “If you haven’t noticed, I am quite fond of you.”

“Very good,” Greg said, kissing him lightly on the lips. “I’m rather fond of you as well.”


End file.
